Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-02-11

and Much Artistic Skill-Painting a
Cavalry Ohicer-Cnriosity of Visitors.
An Old Lady.
When a battle panorama or cyclorama
is to be set up the material for the fore
ground is always prepared before the re-
ceipt of the picture. The chief artist and
the mechanical constructor have superin
tended the construction of the platforms,
following the irregular line indicated both
on the first lrawing and the panorama.
All the lumber that is used is treated
with a composition of silicate, to keep out
moisture and to make it fire proof. Hun
dreds of loads of earth have been Carted
into the building quantities of lumber,
trees both living and dead together with
a collection of fence rails bushes, sods,
legs, sand and variety of camp equipage
are piled about ready for use. The plat
forms are the groundwork for the earth
and sod, which are very skillfully joined
to their painted semblances on the canvas;
bushes and trees are planted; earthwOrks
and log camps are built; everything is
done with careful intent To make the
foreground and painting appear as one
WHY t'ili ~ " JpIh INV WV
in meaning and color as tomake it nearly
impossible for spectator to determine at
any point which is the real and which
the painted scene.
CAREFUL JUDGMENT NEEDED.
This work calls for very careful judg-
ment, as it is necessary to settle the exact
relation in size which real objects shall
bear to those in the painting An ordi-
nary hat or cap placed upon the fore
ground near the canvas would seem pro
digious, though the same hat thrown on
the ground near the platform occupied
by the spectator would not attract notice.
The entire foreground must therefore he
arranged to aid the perspective of the
painting, so that when the panorama is
ready for exhibition even the artist VINO
has constantly labored to attain that very
result finds difficulty in realizing that the
scene spread before him is painted
upon canvas which hangs vertically but
forty feet distant from his eyes ST.
The central platform is of course the
standpoint from which visitors will view
the paHorama-and therefore the artists
are obliged to 60 to it frequently as the
painting nears completion in order to oh
serve the effect and progress of their
work. The floor of the platform is chalked
and rechalked with diagrams. some re
ferring to the panorama itself, but more
toilluStrate occurrences upon other fields.
The strong pine rail surrounding the plat
form is penciled all over with kindred
decorations. while scraps of paper on
which are memoranda Of incidents and d
variety of data. as well as names and ad
dresses. are pinned To the convenient tim
Der with thumb taCks.
The artists paint steadily, every individ
ual being mainly occupied in perfecting
his own work. though never hesitatinC
10 ask OF extend aid in some special direc-
tion. One artist. for instance, has an ex-
Cellent figure of mounted officer. ell com
plete excepting the portrait, a photograph
for which is pinned TO the canvas While
this artist goes TO strengthen a line of
battle another one will rapidly paint in
an admirable portrait for the incomplete
figure. soon another brush is busy with
the horse, while still another artist calls
for some special saddle and bride to be
brought to the platform that he may
paint the traPpings
PINNED TO TEE CANVAS.
Now look at the back of the photograph
which is pinned to the canvas--a faded
carte de viste of a Young officer; upon a
slip Of paper we read the following; Col
X, now nn Gen Sheridans staff. then
captain, Gen Thomas staff, H Il" mean
ing the section II, square A., of the pano.
ramal; French cap, blouse, captain 5
straps -staff-dark blue trowsers. gold
cord, cavalry staff sword, Mcclellan sad
die; shahrack-hlack horse; see sketch"
This instance will give al idea of the
way in which facts are preserved when a
panorama is painted by artists who con
scientiously strive to make of the work q
great historical painting.
The question is frequently asked
What paints do the artists use in paint.
| ing the battle panoramas9' Only colors
| of the best quality are used, such as are
| used by an artist in his work upon fine
| oil painting. The color IS Of course pur-
chased in very large quantities; as an in
stance, for the panorama in which was
interested the rich yellowish paint known
as cadmium cost $780, and was contained
| in four tin cans each the size of an ordi
nary peach can.
| The curiosity of visitors to the various
| great battle pauOramas seems to have nc
| end. Many suspect that an immense
| plate Of glass is placed between the spec
tator and the canvas; and some persons
have even thrown objects with sufficient
| force to go thrice the distance from the
| platform to the canvas for the purpose,
as they said, of testing the glass. Oi
| course there is no glass nor any other
means of deception than the simple ar.
rangement here described. The largest
| figures on the canvas are between three
and four feet high, though they seem tC
be full life size.
certain inquisitive old lady visiting
one of the earliest of these panoramas-
THE Battle Of Sedan helped herself
over the platform rail by means of con.
venient chairs and trotted down an earth
road leading from the platform to the
canvas, where-alongsid the painted
| tigurcs-she looked like Gulliver's wife
| among the Lilliputians. ''Why! Oh,
| N.Y. she exclaimed, "look at these dear
little men! They are only so big" hold,
| ing up her parasol near painted group
of German soldiers which looked like
| dwarfs beside her Great laughter greeted
| her return to the platform, where she re.
| marked; "0h, my! how they do grow
when y0u get back, away from themr'
| And this is the whole secret of the effect
produced upon the spectator. Theodore
II. Davis in St. Nicholas.